insurance is still available for 2 million people, and that lays the groundwork then for additional deficit reduction and economic growth steps that we can take in the new year. >> all of this still developing. and we will have more on all of it with mark shields and david brooks later in the program. >> also ahead >> warner: also ahead, between now and then; protesting a gang rape in india; mass producing high quality education and remembering general norman schwarzkopf. but first, the other news of the day. here's kwame holman. >> holman: the u.s. economy has dodged a potentially crippling strike at ports up and down the east coast and gulf coast at least, for now. the longshoremen's union agreed today to extend its existing contract by another month. that word came after the union and shipping lines worked out a deal on royalty payments for unloading containers. the contract extension gives the two sides time to resolve their remaining issues. wall street finished the week with its fifth straight losing session. stocks have been falling as concern mounts that washington will fail to get